CHAPTER 11
SWB: Akinsehinwa Oluwaseun
“That’s a gift from me to you on my birthday” the message read.
Oh! I forgot, it’s Mr Jude’s birthday today.
I rushed down to his office, he was on a call, I guess several people were calling him already to wish him a happy birthday.
He beckoned on me to come in and take a seat. For like ten minutes he was talking and laughing with the person on the other side.
I noticed his second phone kept beeping non stop.
Hmn! Messages upon messages.
“Okay Mom, I love you too. Bye” he said and hung up the call. It rang almost immediately but he ignored it.
Don’t know who the caller is but I guess it should be one of those babes looking for greener pastures.
“Hey Nifemi, how are you this morning?”
“I’m fine sir. I’m so sorry I forgot it’s your birthday today please pardon my manners” I said with my hands clasped.
He smiled and said: “Did you receive my gift?”
“Yes sir, it’s so beautiful, I really like it but I should be the one to get you a gift not the other way round” I said and he waved his hand in the air as if to say it wasn’t necessary.
“So have you changed your mind?” He asked and I moved my head to say no.
“Awn awn do I need to beg you now before you attend my party? At least make it an honor, after all I’m still your boss. I’m not forcing you, I just want to see you there. Or better still make it a way of saying you are sorry for not remembering my birthday” he said and we both laughed.
“Okay sir, you win, I’ll be coming for the party”
“Now that’s cool! Thanks I’ll see you at the party then or do I send my driver to come pick you up from your house?’
“No sir, I’ll prefer to come on my own.
Happy Birthday Sir” I said before leaving for my office.
Amara came to my office during lunchtime, she asked if I’ll be attending Mr Jude’s birthday party and I said yes.
She asked what color I’ll be using and I told her I haven’t concluded. Within me, I was still battling with the thought of whether to wear the nice teal color gown my husband got me or the silver color gown decorated with diamonds, Mr Jude got me.
At exactly three pm, we were all released to go back home to get prepared for the party.
I drove home thinking of whether to send a message to Richard that I was going for a birthday party or to wait for him to come back home before I leave for the party.
Perhaps Richard and I should go together to the party, that’s one of the things couple do together.
Maybe I could start from there and see if crazy Tracy’s formula works out.
I drove into the compound and saw someone that looks like Dunmininu my friend already waiting for me, but hold on, it’s really her. My goodness! I hope all is well? I mean she hasn’t spoken to me since the last incident at her house, she has been ignoring my messages too, why the unexpected visit? I became troubled as the dream I had days ago came back to my memory.
I alighted from the car and hurried up to meet my friend not minding the rift between us.
“Dunmininu are you alright? Is everything okay?” I asked out of fear that something might have gone wrong and now she needed help
“Everything is fine” she answered with a smile and I hugged her.
“I’m so sorry for the other day. I’ve really missed you” I said still hugging her.
“I should be the one apologising Nifemi, you were only trying to be a good friend.
I’m sorry I’ve not been replying your messages”
“It’s okay sweetie , please come on inside”
We held hands and chatted as we walked in, no one would ever guess that these were the same two friends who ignored each other in church last Sunday.
“So how’s your husband?” Dunmininu asked as she sipped the orange juice I gave her.
“He’s fine, he went to work. He should be back by 6 or 6:30 pm”
“Okay um, actually I came to apologise for all I said to you and about our friendship the other day”
“Dunmininu I should be the one saying I’m sorry. Babe I’m really happy to see you here again”
“Thanks dear. Secondly I want to inform you that I’ll be having my introduction this Saturday.
Like in four days time”
“Oh my goodness!” I jumped up and rushed to give her a warm embrace, I gave her a peck on her cheek and she smiled happily.
“Babe I’m so happy for you. Thank God , Hallelujah! At last”
“After the introduction , we’ll fix a date for our wedding,it’s going to be next month by God’s grace” she added.
“Babe I can’t just wait, Richard will be so happy to hear this too” I said.
“Thanks Nifemi, you know it was after you left my house the other day that I sat down and began to think of all that you said. I said if I wasn’t so foolish truly, why will I allow a man to be sleeping with me for the past five years without any proper wedding? Just an ordinary proposal ring which I call engagement ring.
I have had two abortions for him and would have committed the third one had God not used you for me”
“Hold on, are you trying to say you are pregnant again?” I asked out of curiosity and she nodded to confirm it.
I took a really deep breath.
“I’m a month gone already Nifemi and I don’t want to commit any abortion again.
That’s why I quickly want to have the wedding before my tommy starts shooting out.
After the wedding I’ll be relocating to Port Harcourt where my husband lives, so no one would be able to detect I’m pregnant”
“But what about the marriage committee in the church? You know a pregnancy test will be carried out on you before the wedding can be conducted”
“You are right but I have it all calculated out, that was why I insisted on having a court wedding”
Deep within me I wasn’t really happy with the whole arrangements, everything looked hypocritical to me, I also wasn’t happy my friend will be getting married to Smith.
To me Smith is just an error no lady should commit , but I was happy that Dunmininu will be getting married at last.
“Okay dear, just be prayerful” I said. I thought of relaying the terrible dream I had about her to her but I didn’t want to create fear in her heart.
Moreover we had reconciled, I don’t want to give any chance to the devil to create another rift between us.
“So is Smith okay with the whole arrangements?” I asked
“Yep, although he felt reluctant at first. He wanted me to abort the pregnancy, claiming that he still needed more time to gather money but I blatantly refused.
He had no choice than to agree to come for the introduction and then pay my bride price” she said.
Dunmininu and I discussed about several other things before she left.
My mind just wasn’t at peace because I already knew the kind of demon Smith was, I didn’t want Dunmininu to get trapped.
Dunmininu left after spending two hours at my place.
Richard didn’t come back on time and I knew if I waited another minute for him, the party might have been over before I get there, so I sent him a message informing him that I was going for a birthday party and would be there for like an hour before coming back home.
I drove down to Mr Jude’s house where the party was to hold. I’ve been to the house once. That was when he was indisposed and was unable to come to office for two days.
Amara had insisted that we visited him in his house to check up on him.
I told her I already called him to wish him quick recovery and I didn’t see any reason why we should go to his house uninvited but Amara insisted that when one’s boss is sick, courtesy demands you pay him or her a visit.
I don’t know where that’s written in the Constitution of Nigeria.
I reminded her that he wasn’t admitted in the hospital, he was only taking bed rest at home.
But Amara would not hear any of that, she insisted we go, so I followed her.
Mr Jude was really happy to see us that day, he was so hospitable, in fact he gave us cash gifts while we were leaving to show that he appreciated the fact that we visited him.
That was a year ago and it was before I got married.
The whole place was filled with aroma of different sumptuous meal.
Nice cool music from the background.
I was in the teal color gown my husband got me, I combined it with silver high heels and a purse to match.
The different guests were engaged with one thing or the other.
I wonder why Mr Jude insisted on having the party at his house. Well, his choice, can’t query him.
“Hey ” I heard his cool voice greeting from behind.
“Sir, good evening” I greeted in return
“Happy Birthday” I added.
“Thanks dear, you look ravishing” he said and I looked away coyly.
” I should introduce you to someone special to me” he added and I thought immediately that it should be his girlfriend.
Lucky girl! I said in my mind.
“Just a minute, she’s busy upstairs, you know how you women can be so concerned about looking good. I’ll be right back” he said and left. I kept admiring the sight that welcomed my eyes. I saw Amara and she waved at me, she stood up and started coming towards me when suddenly I felt a cold sensation on my body. Someone just poured her drink on me, from my hair to my shoulder and then some on my back. I turned to see who it was as people watched the sight with expression I could not describe written on their faces.
“Oh I’m so sorry, it was a mistake” Damilola said smiling to my face. Amara rushed at the scene and held me trying to calm me down.
“Dami how could you be so senseless?” Amara said and Damilola hissed.
“Sorry Nifemi, are you alright? You should probably use the bathroom”
“It’s okay Amara, I’ll just have to rush home now” I said and as I took a step to walk out of the embarrassing scene, Damilola put her leg forward causing me to collide with it and falling like a mango tree on the tiled floor. Some of the people laughed, while others waited to see if a dirty fight was just about to begin. A few others tried to help me up.
Before I could stand up, Amara had given Damilola a slap, she was about to return the slap when Mr Jude came to the scene.
“What’s going on here?” His commanding voice echoed followed by an immediate silence. I stood up immediately and rushed out of the scene towards my car. He followed me and kept asking me to stop but I didn’t , I sped off from the scene and went home straight, how the party ended I didn’t know. I was really angry at Damilola but I know fighting her back , especially in public will only bring me down to her level. I know her problem was that of jealousy but for crying out loud, can somebody help me tell her for the umpteenth time that I am now a married woman and I’m not hindering her from marrying Mr Jude, her crush?.
I got home and heard the sound of my husband in the living room, he was watching a match between Manchester and Chelsea , I’m not a fan of football game but while I was in courtship with my husband I follow him once in a while to watch football matches at viewing centres.
Sometimes I wonder why guys will leave the comfort of their homes, even when they have cable televisions to go to viewing centres where all they do is shout and giving themselves hypertension. Perhaps it is the shouting that increases their Morales.
“A goal!!!” Richard shouted , vexing out his muscle as if he was the one playing the match. I wanted to walk in without him noticing me but I knew that wasn’t possible. If he sees me in this state he’ll ask me what happened at the party, since it didn’t rain, he’ll want to know how and why I got wet.
“Hey Love” he greeted as I walked in.
“Hi, how was work?” I asked as I mounted the stairs, not looking back at him.
“Great, how was the party?”
“Fine” I was glad he didn’t notice my wet clothes, probably because it’s teal color if I had wore that silver color gown, the stain would have been so obvious. His seven days fasting and prayers ended yesterday but I deliberately refused to bring up the topic about sex again. Let’s see how Tracy’s counseling section works out.
Mr Jude called me to apologise on behalf of Damilola, I guess someone had told him all that happened. I told him it was fine, though I was still really angry at the desperate Dami, she should be called DD, Desperate Dami henceforth. We talked about some other things before we said our good night.
It was already late and I was too tired to cook. I was unable to eat anything at the party because of the stunt Damilola pulled. I went to the refrigerator and got a bottle of groundnut, some banana with apple juice, that will serve as dinner, I’m sure Richard would have taken care of himself. I knew I had begun to fail in my culinary duties but I didn’t care, Richard too was failing somewhere.
The following day was a Thursday, three days to Dunmininu’s introduction. I got dressed up and drove down to the office. Though the feelings from the embarrassing moment of yesterday was still there,I tried to play cool. I greeted my colleagues, some of them apologized on behalf of Damilola because they knew all she did was a deliberate attempt to disgrace me. I smiled and appreciated their kind gestures before getting into my office. I had not even been there for thirty minutes before I suddenly heard Damilola bursting in with tears in her eyes.
“He sacked me because of you. I have worked with this company for five years and this is what I get? All because of you? What does he even sees in you?” She sobbed
“That’s not possible, Mr Jude can’t be that callous, why would he sack her because of what she did to me at the party, I understand if she was queried but serving her a sack letter is to the extreme” Those were the thoughts running through my mind.
“You slut! Let’s wait and see if you last another week in this company” she threatened as she cried out of my office, she met Amara by the door and almost pushed her out of the way.
“Wait what’s it with this girl? Is she a winch?” Amara said laughing as she sat down while I kept thinking of what to do.